If you’re looking at a computer screen or piece of paper, optical illusions can be fascinating. These optical illusions are a fascinating illustration of how the brain interprets sensory data in order to create a impression of reality.
The lines that flex and buckle forms that pop out colors that change – all of these are elements of optical illusions. The human visual system is constantly processing the light as well as color, distance and dimensions.
What is an optical illusion?
An optical illusion occurs when an image is able to confuse the eyes and brain. In a mere tenth of a second, thousands of images are sent to the brain by the visual system. The brain is able to organize the information it receives by drawing boundaries and analyzing areas of contrast or colors, and inferring, based upon previous experiences, what it’s supposed to be seeing.
It can sometimes get things wrong. This is not an issue in the brain or eyes. They are simply the result of a misperception about what you’re seeing. Similar illusions can be observed by other senses. If you’ve seen an insect crawling through your arms, it may appear to be going down.
Three kinds of optical illusions are available physical, literal and cognitive. Psychological illusions are ones that seem to be moving, but are actually still images. These are caused by over stimulation of the brain’s sensory system as they attempt to perceive the movement of a scene from one that isn’t moving. These illusions can include the Ponzo Illusion where two lines seem to be of different lengths.
Optic illusions in advertising – illusions
Optic illusions are utilized in the classrooms of psychology, museums as well as by your hippie pal who has posters hanging on his walls, but you may not have considered that they could be employed in advertising. They are very efficient in grabbing the attention of viewers by creating a sensation of movement or, in some instances even crinkly eyelids.
Jane Pain, a popular company in lingerie, just launched an optical illusions campaign featuring bodies and bums on their products. But, if you look closely, you’ll notice that the undressed body parts are actually knees and elbows.
The Kit Kat truck is another amazing optical illusion that is used in advertisements. It makes it look like the driver is in hammock instead of driving. This optical illusion is a fantastic way to grab people’s attention and also to entice people to stop and enjoy an Kit Kat. The commercial also makes use of perceptual sets and priming to establish a positive association to the brand.
Artistic Optical Illusions
optical illusions are a favored element in modern art, with paintings like Bridget Riley’s swirls of spots and stripes, and MC Escher’s ever-ending staircase as well as the Penrose triangle being popular examples. Since the time of the Renaissance optical effects were an integral part of art. Artists employed the camera obscura, as well as linear perspective to create breathtaking illusions of trompe-l’oeil.
It is often geometric in its nature. the op art style is non-representational. It employs shapes, lines and color blocks to create the illusion of moving, images hidden from view or swells or warping. The work of Vasarely and his 1965 exhibit The Responsive Eye gave it a boost in popularity in the 1960s.
Joseph Albers, influenced by the Op Art movement experimented with how colors interacted and influenced each other. His Homage to the Square series of paintings uses colored squares that are layered over each other to study how different colors influence our perception of shape and the depth.
Optical illusions in music
Musical illusions are the latest optical illusions to be seen. The illusion is comprised of an identical set of musical notes. They create the illusion of lyrics played simultaneously on the keyboard.
These clever illusions are a great illustration of the way your brain absorbs the information from your senses and makes use of it to create an image of the world around you. Our minds are extremely powerful regardless of whether it happens by accident or in a deliberate manner.
Artists like Bridget Riley, Victor Vasarely and Jesus Rafael Soto experimented with illusionary effects in their art. Soto made immersive installations that blurred the distinction between art and viewers, inviting them interact with his art.